Excavating cutting-machine.



No. 726,877. PATENTBDMAY 5, 1903.

T. E. DAN IELS.

EXGAVATING CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIUATIONVFILED APB. 14, 1902. No MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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. PATBNTED MAY 5,1903.

T. E. DANIELS. EXAVATING CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEETYZ.

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No. 726,877. PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

T. E. DANIBLS.

l EXCAVATING CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIoA'rIoN FILED un. 14, 1902.

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T. E. DANIBLS.

EXUAVATING GUTTING MAGHINB.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 14, 1902. l

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Patented May 5, 1903.

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Afr-ENT TAYLOR E. DANIELS, OF CHICAGO,YILLINOIS.

EXCAVA'l'ING CUTTING-MACHINE.

srncrricnron form-ng part of Lettere Patent No. 726,877, dated May 5,190s.

Application filed April 14, 1902. Serial No. 102,819. (No model.) i

Be it known that I, TAYLOR E. DANIELS, a citi-zen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful lmprovement in Excavating Cutting-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the class of machines used formining and other excavating purposes requiring the cutting operation tobe extended through hard material, such as rock, as well as throughsofter material that `may be encountered, in which thc cutters areprovided at intervals on an endless chain adapted to be introducedfarther and farther into the excavation as the work proceeds and to bewithdrawn therefrom.

My object, which includes providingr a genterally improved constructionof machine in .the class referred to, is primarily to adapt ycavation, Iprovide at least two endless chains .carrying the cutting-tools andpreferably,

also, elevator-buckets to Work side by side and also, by preference, arotary cutter-head between the chains at their lower end to cut .thematerial that might otherwise be missed .by them, being between theplanes of their action, and which would obstruct the down- Wardfeed ofthe cutting apparatus, and consequently the progress of its Work. Theprovision thus suggested of a plu rality' of the endless-chain cuttingdevices-enables me to expand them toward the lower working end' of Lthemachine and to contract them above the .lower end into the casing to `anextent suffi- `cient to compensate for the thickness of the `sides ofthe casing, which extend across the faces of the cutting-chains, and Ialso provide for cutting the excavation large enough at the sides of thecasing which extend across the edges of the'cutting-chains to admit thethicknessof those sides of the casing, all as hereinafter described.

An incident of the employment of a plurality of the endless-chaincutting devices is that it enables them to be actuated in relativelycontrary directions, with the very important advantage, due to thechecking effect of one upon the other, of preventing a tendency of thecutting device to creep, and thus cut out of alinement.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view infrontelevation of my improved machine with a portion of the cas# ingremoved; Fig; 2, a view of the same in side elevation, showing theendless-chain cutting apparatus adjusted to an angle; Fig. 3, a brokenview showing in elevation the worm-gear mechanism for feeding andraising the cutting apparatus on its supporting-4 standard; Fig. 4, abroken vertical sectionalV viewof the machine, enlarged over the scaleobserved in the preceding figures; Fig; 5, a section taken at the line AA on Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a broken View ofthe lower portion of thecuttingapparatus with the endless cuttercarrying'chains removed todisclose the guidegrooves f or controlling them; Fig. 7, a view in sideelevation of the interposed 'cutting- I head; Fig. ,8, a partly-brokenenlarged view, in front elevation, of several of the connected cutterand bucket carrying links of which eachrof the endless chains is formed;Fig. 9,

a view of' the wsame in side elevation with a bucket 'shown'in`cross-section; and Fig. 10, a section taken at the line B B on Fig. 9and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

On a support in the preferred form shown of a vertical standard a,rising from a base b, is a longitudinal ratchet c.l The standard issurrounded by a vertically-movablerotatable sleeve d, carryinghorizontally u pon its upper end to rotate it a cog-wheel e, thestandard also carrying about the sleeve d, to move up and down With it,a bracketf, through the medium of which the operating parts of themachine are supported on the standard. At one side of the machine(regarding that presented to View in Fig. l as the front) the bracketends in a plate-shaped head g, having at opposite sides of its verticalcenter two substantially arcshaped concentric slots h and t' foranadjusting purpose hereinafter described, each about ninety degrees inlength. Concentric with the head g a horizontal tubular bearingj isprovided on the bracket for a rotary sleeve or hollow shaft K, carryingon its in ner projecting end a beveled gear-wheel Z and on its outerprojecting end a sprocketwheel m. A rotary shaft n extends through andis journaled in the sleeve 7s and carries on its inner projecting end abeveled gear-wheel o and on its outer projecting end a sprocketwheel p.On the opposite side of the bracket is shown in alinement with thebearing k a horizontal tubular bearing q for a rotary shaft r, carryingon its inner projecting end a beveled gear-wheel s like the gear-wheel oand on its outer projecting end a grindstone t for sharpening thecutting-tools hereinafter described. Respectively above and below thegear-wheels 0 s are secured on the standard-sleeve d a beveledgear-wheel u, meshing with the gears 0 and s, and a beveled gear-wheelfu, meshing with the gear Z. On the top of the plate g is provided abearing w for the lower end of a vertical rotary shaft ro, carrying torotate with it a pinion y, in mesh with the cog-wheel e, and acrown-faced drive-belt pulley e', from which the machine is geared withsuitable driving power.

An endless chain l, preferably constructed as hereinafter described, ishung from the sprocket-wheel m and passes about a lower sprocket-wheel 3of greater diameter journaled ou a shaft 5, fastened in the casinghereinafter described and having journaled upon it anothersprocket-wheel 4t of the same size as the wheel 3, about which passesfrom the sprocket-wheelp another endless chain 2 like the endlesschain 1. Between the sprocketwheels 3 and 4c on the shaft 5 and rigidlyfastened to one of them to rotate with it is a diskshaped cutter-head6,having at intervals on its periphery cutting-teeth 7, which projectbeyoud the sprocket-teeth on the wheels 3 and LL. Au upper tautening-bar8 tits between the opposite sides of the two chains 1 and 2 and may berigidly and adjustably fastened to extend at any angledesired withinabout ninety degrees of acircle to the outer face of the plate r, asrepresented in Fig. 2, by bolts passing through the slots 71, andsecured by nuts. The sprocket-teeth ou the wheels m and 19 in theirrotation clear the upper end of the bar 8 by passing through recesses 99 therein. A lower tautening-bar 10, having an offset toward its upperend presenting a shoulder 12, overlaps the lower end of the bar 8, towhich it is adjustably fastened by a bolt 13, secured by a nut andpassing through the bar 8 and through an elongated slot 14C in theoverlapping portion of the bar 10, in the lower end of which are alsorecesses 9 9 for clearance of the sprockets on the wheels 3 and 4t.Between the lower end of the bar 8 and the shoulder 12 on the upper endportion of the bar 10 are inserted right and left adjusting-screws 15 15for tightening the bar 10 against the lower sprocket-wheels for thepurpose of tautening the chains and for loosening the lower bar forslackening the chains.

On each of the opposite sides of the bars S and 10 on which the chainstravel are formed, as shown of the side presented to view in Fig. G,T-shaped guide-grooves 1616, straight and parallel nearly to their lowerends, whence they diverge outwardly to coincide at their lowerextremities with the recesses 9 9 in the lower extremity of the bar lO.

Each of the endless chains is formed of a series of connected links 17,some of which carry cutting-tools 1S, preferably of the form shown,while others carry scoop-shaped elevator-buckets 19. The links equippedwith cutting-tools and those equipped with the scoops may be relativelyarranged in each chain, according to particular requirement, thus toalternate with each other or otherwise. The number of cutting-tools onthe several links equipped with them may vary, some carrying one tooleach, others two, and still others three each, and the latter number maybe exceeded on some links, if desired, and the relative positions of thecutting-tools on the successive cutter-links may also be arrangedaccording to requirement. From the backs of the links and preferablyfrom the backs only of those carrying cutting tools and buckets thereproject T- shaped stems 21, which extend at their heads into and areconfined in the grooves 16 16 to guide the endless chains therein.

A rectangular sheet metal casing 2O is shown enveloping the chains,extending on the two sides, one of which is presented in Fig. 2 from theplane near the tops of the sprocket-wheels 3 t and on the two othersides from near the lower portions of these wheels upward to the bolt13, which serves to fasten the casing in place through two opposite ofthe four sheet-metal plates of which it is formed, the remaining twoplates, (one IOO IIO

of which is presented in Fig. 2,) which extend at right angles to thoseshown in Fig. f1, being fastened to the latter. As hereinbefore stated,the shaft 5 for the lower sprocketwheels is rigidly fastened in theopposite longer sides of this casing.

On the lower end of the standard-sleeve (l is a transversejournal-bearing 22, divided by an opening 23 in the sleeve, throughwhich a pinion 2t on a shaft 25, journaled in said bearing, meshes withthe rack c on the standard and sustains thereon the sleeve Z andbracketf and parts carried by them. The shaft 25 carries on its endwhich projects beyond the bearing a worm-wheel 26, with which meshes aworm-shaft 27, journaled in a bearing 28, formed in the bracketf, andcarrying on its outer end a hand-wheel 29. This wormgear mechanismserves for feeding the endless-chain cutting devices toward the work asit progresses and for withdrawing it therefrom.

The operation is as follows: The machine being placed where the work isto be performed and the pulley ,a geared by a belt 30 with the drivingpower, (n ot shown,) the bar 8 is adjusted on the plate gto extend thecutting-chains and head 6 toward the Work, thus parallel with thestandard a if the work is below it or at a suitable angle to thestandard if the work is to one side of it. The pulley a being then setin motion causes the gears connecting it with the sleeve d to rotate thelatter and with it the beveled gears tt fv, the former driving thesprocket m to drive the chain l in one direction and the latter drivingthe sprocket p to drive the chain 2 in the contrary direction. Thecutting-tools on the chains attack the work they encounter in passingabout the sprocket-wheels 3 4 and produce, with the coperation of thecuttingdisk, the initial excavation, and as the work progresses thehand-wheel 29 is turned to lower the sleeve d accordingly and with itthe bracketfand gearing upon it and feed the cutting devices to thework. As will be noticed, by causing the chains to travel in relativelycontrary directions the cutting-tools in their operation against theWork act in opposite directions, thus against each other, as it were,with the consequent tendency to keep the cutting mechanism inline withthe work by preventing that mechanism from creeping, and thus strainingthe machine, besides forming an irregular hole. It will, moreover, beunderstood that the speed of feedingwill vary with the progress ofthework, being slower through rock and other material of greatresistance than through softer material, as soil.

As the depth increases of the excavation being made it is desirabletoinsert a casing into it to reinforce it against cavingin. Accordinglyl provide about the chains the section of the casing 20, the thicknessof4 the ends of which (or shorter sides` extending across theperipheries of the sprockets) is sufcient to widen it to about thediameter of the excavation, which is as much greater than the widthacross the edges of the chains above the lower sprocket-wheels 3 4 asthe latter are of greater diameter than the upper sprocketwheels. Thediameter of the excavation crosswise of .the faces ofthe chains isincreased sufliciently to admit into it the thickness ofl thisconstruction and the section of casing 20 in place, as shown, as thechains l and 2 pass from the casing-section about the lowersprocket-wheels they spread on their descendi ing sides, owing to the,greater diameter of the lower than the upper sprocketwheels,

and they contract on their. ascending sides toward the narrower uppersprocketwheels to be omitted into the casing at its lowerend and pass`through it from the. lower sprocketwheels. Above the plane of the lowersprocket-wheels the chains travel parallel in the straight sections ofthe grooves 165'` but their descending portions in attaining thediverging lower sections of the grooves below the lower end of theshorter sidesof the cas ing spread outward to protrudethe'laterallyprojecting cutting-tools accordingly for extending theirycuttingI work outside the width sides of and pa'ss through the casingKwithout obstruction. The cutting-disk' takes up the space between thecutting planes of the chains, due to their lateral spreading towardtheir lower portions. When the depth of the hole being excavatedincreases to the extent to which the primary length of the chains needreach or may be fed, each chain is separated and another bar, like thebar l0, is introduced and fastened between the two bars l0 and 8, andmore links are added accordingly to the chains, which are again fastenedto render the chains endless about the upper and lower sprocket-wheels.This manner of lengthening the cutting apparatus maybe repeated as oftenas required to enable it to excavate a hole to any desired depth, and,as required, new sections of casing, like the se'ction 20, butpreferably of equal length on all sides,may be added one upon` theotherto case the hole substantially throughout'its depth.

As will be understood, the material which is loosened bythe cuttingoperation in forming the 'excavation is scooped and elevated IOO IIO

ting apparatus and theiinserted bars and i casing-sections may beremovedin succession as they'are raisedfout ofthe'hole. Ot' courseif theVextent of4 work done is `only that performed without lengthening lthecutting apparatus the latter maybe withdrawn best now known to me,may bevariously rnodiu ed'in matters of details by'those skilled in the artwithout departure from myinven.- tion. s Hence I do not limit myinvention 'to such particular details;

. The terms upperil and lower applied n Ato the foregoing descriptionand in` the appended claims ,to designate. the positions of the.sprocket-wheels are merely relative and will be understood to includeother positions with relation" to'I each other of the sprockets on thebody ofthe machine, and those at the operating parts of the chains.

diameter than said upper wheels, endless cutting-chains each passingabout a pair of said sprocket-wheels comprising an upper member and alower member, and driving means for the upper sprocket-wheels operatingto rotate them in relatively contrary directions and cause the chains totravel accordingly, substantially as described.

3. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination, with asupport, ofupper sprocket-wheels and lower sprocket-wheels of greater diameter thansaid upper wheels, endless cutting-chains each passing about a pair ofsaid sprocket-wheels comprising an upper member and a lower member, acutter-head supported between the lower sprocket-wheels to rotate withone of them, and driving means for the upper sprocket-wheels operatingto rotate them in relatively contrary directions and cause the chains totravel accordingly, substantially as described.

4. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination, with a support, ofupper sprocket-wheels and lower sprocket-wheels of greater diameter thansaid upper wheels, endless cutting-chains each passing about a pair ofsaid sprocket-wheels comprising an upper member and a lower member, saidchains having, at intervals,- cutting-teeth projecting laterally beyondtheir edges, a cutter-head rotatably supported between the lowersprocketwheels, and driving means for the sprocketwheels andcutter-head, substantially as described.

5. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a support, ofupper sprocket-wheels and lower sprocket-wheels of greater diameter thansaid upper wheels, endless cutting-chains each passing about a pair ofsaid sprocket-wheels comprising an upper member and a lower member,guides for said chains diverging toward said lower sprocketwheels, acutter-head supported between the lower sprocket-wheels to rotate withone of them, and driving means for the upper sprocket-wheels operatingto rotate them in relatively contrary directions and cause the chains totravel accordingly, substantially as described.

6. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a support, ofupper sprocket-wheels and lower sprocket-wheels, endless cutting-chainseach passing about a pair of said sprocket-wheels comprising an uppermember and a lower member, said chains having, at intervals,cutting-teeth projecting laterally beyond theiredges, a cutter-headrotatably supported between the lower sprocketwheels, a casingsurrounding said chains, guides for directing the chains in travelingthrough said casing, and driving means for the sprocket-wheels andcutter-head, substantially as described.

7. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a support, ofupper sprocket-wheels and lower sprocket-wheels of greater diameter thansaid upper wheels, endless cutting-chains each passing about a pair ofsaid sprocket-wheels comprising an upper meinber and a lower member,said chains having, at intervals, cutting-teeth projecting laterallybeyond their edges, a cutter-head supported between the lowersprocket-wheels to rotate with one of them, driving means for the uppersprocket-wheels operating to rotate them in relatively contrarydirections and cause the chains to travel accordingly, a casingsurrounding said chains, and guides diverging toward said lowersprocket-wheels t'or directing the chains in traveling through saidcasing, substantially as described.

8. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a support, ofa plurality of upper sprocket-Wheels supported side by side thereon withtheir driving means, a plurality of lower sprocket-wheels, endlesscuttingchains passing about said upper and lower sprocket-wheels andrunning in relatively contrary directions, tautening means for saidchains and guides for the chains having straight parallel sections andlower diverging sections, substantially as described.

9. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a support, ofa plurality of upper sprocket-wheels supported side by side thereon withtheir driving means, a plurality of lower sprocket-wheels of greaterdiameter than said upper sprocket-wheels, endless cutting-chains passingabout said upper and lower sprocket-wheels and running in relativelycontrary directions, tautening means for said chains provided withchain-guiding grooves having straight parallel sections and lowerdiverging sections, and a casing about said chains, substantially asdescribed.

l0. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a support, ofa plurality of upper sprocket-wheels supported thereon with theirdriving means, a plurality of lower sprocket-wheels of greater diameterthan said upper sprocket-wheels, endless cutting-chains passing aboutsaid upper and lower sprocketwheels and running in relatively contrarydirections, tautening means for said chains, provided with chain-guidinggrooves having straight parallel sections and lower diverging sections,a cu tting-head contin ed between said IOC IIO

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lower sprocket-wheels to rotate with one of theln` and a casing aboutsaid chains, substantially as described.

11. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a standard,of a sleeve rotatably and vertically movable thereon, Va bracket carriedby said sleeve to move up and down with it on said standard, a pluralityof upper sprocket-wheels journaled side by side on said bracket, aplurality of lower sprocketwheels, a cutter-head supported between saidlower sprocketlwheels to rotate with one of` them, endlesscutting-chains passing about said upper and lower sprocket-wheels,driving means on said sleeve and bracket operating to rotate said uppersprocket-wheels in relatively contrary directions to cause the chains totravel accordingly, and feed mechanism for lowering and raising saidsleeve and bracket to move said chains relative Ito the work,substantially as described.

12. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a standard,of a sleeve rotatably and vertically movable thereon, a bracket carriedby said'sleeve to move up and down with it on said standard, a pluralityof upper sprocket-wheels journaled side by side on said bracket, aplurality of lower sprocket-wheels of greater diameter than said uppersprocket-wheels,endless cutting-chains passing about said upper andlower sprocketwheels, driving-means on said sleeve and bracket foractuating said upper sprocketwheels to drive the chains in relativelycontrary directions, tautening means for the chains, provided withchain-guiding grooves having straight parallel sections and lowerdiverging sections, a cutting-head confined between said lowersprocket-wheels to rotate with one of them, a casing about said chains,and feed mechanism for lowering said chains relative to the work,substantially as described.

13. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a standardprovided with a rack, of a Sleeve rotatably and vertically movablethereon, a bracket carried by said Sleeve to move up and down with it onsaid standard,a plurality of upper sprocket-Wheels journaled side byside on said bracketga plurality of lower sprocket-wheels of greaterdiameter than said upper sprocket-wheels, endless cutting-chains passingabout said upper and lower sprocket-wheels, driving means on said sleeveand bracket for actuating said upper lsprocket-wheels to drive' thechains Ain relatively contrary directions, tautening rmeans for thechains provided with chainguiding grooves having straight parallelsections and lower diverging sections, a toothed cutting-disk confinedbetween said lower sprocket-wheels to rotate with one of them, a teasingabout said chains, anda worm-gear feed mechanism on said bracket,carrying a pinion meshing with said rack and forming means for loweringand raising said sleeve and bracket to move said chains relative to thework, substantially as described.

14. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a standard,of a sleeve rotatably and vertically movable thereon, a bracket carriedby said sleeve to move up and down with it on said standard and providedwith a head containing curved slots, a plurality of uppersprocket-wheels journaled side 'by side on said bracket, a plurality oflowersprocket-wheels, endless cutting-chains passing about said upperand lower sprocketwheels, upper and lower tautening-bars adjustablyconnected together and conned within said chains, and adapted to beadjustably fastened at the upper bar to said slotted head, chain-guidinggrooves in said bars, a casing about said chains and bars, driving meanson said sleeve and bracket for actuating said upper sprocket-wheels todrive the chains in relatively contrary directions, and feed mechanismfor lowering'` and raising said sleeve and bracket to move said chainsrelative to the work, substantially as described.

15. In an excavating cutting-machine the combination with a standard, ofa sleeve rotatably and vertically movable thereon, a bracket carried bysaid sleeve to move up and down with it on said standard, and providedwith a head containing two sets of concentric curved slots, a pluralityof upper sprocketwheels jourualed side by side on said bracket, aplurality of lower sprocket-wheels, endless `cutting-chains passingabout 'said upper and lower sprocket-wheels, upper and lowertautening-bars adjustably connected together and adapted to beadjustably bolted through the upper bar to said head in either set ofsaid slots, chain-guiding grooves in-said bars, a casing about saidchains and bars, driving means on said sleeve and bracket for actuatingsaid upper sprocket-wheels to drive the chains in relatively contrarydirections and feed mechanism for lowering and raising said sleeve andbracket to move said chains relative to the work, substantially asdescribed,

16. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a standard,of a sleeve rotatably and vertically movable thereon 'and carrying thebeveled gears tt, fu, a bracket mounted on said sleeve to move up anddown with it and provided with a tubular bearing having journaled in ita hollow shaft ic carrying on one end a sprocket-wheel m and on itsother end a beveled gear Z meshing with said gear (U, a shaft njournaled in said hollow shaft and carrying at one end a sprocket,-wheel pand at its other end a beveled gear o meshing with said gear u,lower sprocketwheels 3, 4, endless cutting-chainspassing about the upperand lower sprocket-wheels and running in relatively contrary directions,tautening means for said chains, and feed mechanism for lowering andraising said sleeve 4and bracket to move said chains relative to thework, substantially as described.

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17. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a standard,of 'a plurality of upper sprocket-wheels supported side by side thereonwith their driving means, a plurality of lower sprocket-Wheels, endlesschains passing about said upper and lower sprocket-wheels and running inrelatively contrary directions and each formed of a series of linksprovided with headed stems on their inner sides and carrying on theirouter sides cutting-tools some of which project beyond the edges of thelinks, and tauteningbars for said chains, provided with grooves havingstraight parallel sections and lower diverging sections for receivingsaid stems and guiding the chains, substantially as described.

18. In an excavating cutting-machine, the combination with a standard,of a plurality of upper sprocket-Wheels supported side by zo sidethereon With the driving means, a plurality of lower sprocket wheels,endless chains passing about said upper and lower sprocket-wheels andrunning in relatively contrary directions and each formed of series oflinks provided with headed stems on their inner sides and carrying ontheir outer sides elevator-buckets and cutting-tools, some of whichlatter project beyond the edges of the links, and tau'tening-bars forsaid chains, provided with grooves having straight parallel sections andlower diverging sections for receiving said stems and guiding thechains, substantially as described.

TAYLOR E. DANIELS. In presence of- Il. G. UNDERWOOD, FRANK H. SHEPHARD.

